he say?"

"I found him in consultation with the president, M. Domini. He took the
letter, glanced at it rapidly, and told me in his most icy tone, 'Very
well!' To tell the truth, I thought, that, in spite of his stiff and
grand air, he was in reality furious."

The magistrate looked utterly in despair.

"I can't stand it," he said sighing. "These men whose veins have no
blood in them, but poison, never forgive."

"Day before yesterday you thought very highly of him."

"Day before yesterday he did not look upon me as the cause of a great
misfortune for him."

M. Mechinet went on quite eagerly,--

"After leaving M. Gransiere, I went to the court-house, and there I
head the great piece of news which has set all the town agog. Count
Claudieuse is dead."

M. Daubigeon and M. Galpin looked at each other, and exclaimed in the
same breath,--

"Great God! Is that so?"

"He breathed his last this morning, at two or three minutes before six
o'clock. I saw his body in the private room of the attorney-general.
The priest from Brechy was there, and two other priests from his parish.
They were waiting for a bier to have him carried to his house."

"Poor man!" murmured M. Daubigeon.

"But I heard a great deal more," Mechinet said, "from the watchman who
was on guard last night. He told me that when the trial was over, and
it became known that Count Claudieuse was likely to die, the priest
from Brechy came there, and asked to be allowed to offer him the last
consolations of his church. The countess refused to let him come to the
bedside of her husband. The watchman was amazed at this; and just then
Miss Chandore suddenly appeared, and sent word to the countess that she
wanted to speak to her."

"Is it possible?"

"Quite certain. They remained together for more than a quarter of
an hour. What did they say? The watchman told me he was dying with
curiosity to know; but he could hear nothing, because there was the
priest from Brechy, all the while, kneeling before the door, and
praying. When they parted, they looked terribly excited. Then the
countess immediately called in the priest, and he stayed with the count
till he died."

M. Daubigeon and M. Galpin had not yet recovered from their amazement at
this account, when somebody knocked timidly at the door.

"Come in!" cried Mechinet.

The door opened, and the sergeant of gendarmes appeared.

"I have been sent here by the attorney-general," he said; "and the
servant